You might be surprised to know that many products used daily in civilian life were actually invented for military use — hello, cargo pants. While the list is rather lengthy, we picked five of our favorite products that have roots in the U.S. military.
Global Positioning System (GPS)
In 1974, the first NAVSTAR GPS satellite was launched into space. For years this technology was used solely by the military. However, in 1983 President Ronald Reagan authorized its use in civilian applications due to a commercial airliner being shot down after it accidently navigated into Russian airspace. Even after President Reagan opened GPS for civilian use, the U.S. Government did not allow full accuracy (a function called Selective Availability) in order to prevent enemies from using its accuracy for attacks against America.
In 2000 President Bill Clinton removed Selective Availability from civilian GPS receivers. Now, a wide range of GPS receivers are available on smartphones, running watches, cars and in stores around the world. The full NAVSTAR system, which was fully completed in 1993, comprises 24 satellites.
Duct Tape
Duct tape is arguably the greatest invention ever — at least to hordes of shade tree mechanics and DIYers — and we have a partnership between Johnson & Johnson and the U.S. Military to thank for the miracle product that is so great that even NASA has put it to work in space. Before it made it off the earth, however, “Duck tape,” as it was originally called, was a product intended to help keep ammo cans watertight for WWII soldiers. These soldiers knew a good product when they saw it, and began to use duct tape to solve numerous battlefield problems. After the war, HVAC installers began to use the tape for HVAC work, which is how the tape got its current name.
The Internet
Long before people started using the Internet to look at cat photos and to pin casserole recipes to virtual pin boards, it was being used by the U.S. Military. The Internet’s predecessor was created by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and called ARPANET. The term Internet was given to the newfangled computer thingy in 1973 after academics in England and Norway connected to ARAPANET — most likely to post radical selfies.
The Computer History Museum has a fascinating timeline where you can see the rise of the Internet from its inception in the late 1960s.
EpiPen
Anybody who has a severe allergic reaction to anything is familiar with EpiPens, an auto injector that is jammed in the thigh to ward off anaphylactic shock. During WWII, troops used Anna-kits, which were syringes full of measured doses of epinephrine to stave off the effects of chemical warfare. This was the precursor to the EpiPen, an innovation also created for military use. Now, this lifesaving medical device is available to everyone, allowing people with severe allergic reactions to be prepared for the worse.
WD-40
Like duct tape, WD-40 is a staple of toolboxes and U.S. homes. Three employees of Rocket Chemical Company created WD-40. It’s purpose: to protect Atlas Missiles — intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) with nuclear warheads — from rust and corrosion. The product worked so well that people started to sneak cans of WD-40 home to use around the house.
